The January 30 midair collision in Washington, D.C., that took 67 lives was a tragic and preventable failure of America’s air traffic control system. The investigation is ongoing, but one fact is already clear—modernization is no longer optional. It is an urgent national security and safety priority.
For years, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has been held back by a bloated bureaucracy and mismanagement that prioritized political agendas over safety and innovation. The previous administration funneled billions into ineffective programs while neglecting critical infrastructure, leading to a system riddled with outdated software and dangerous inefficiencies. Unlike past leadership, this administration will take decisive action to fix it.
This week, engineers from SpaceX, America’s leading private space company, will visit the FAA as part of a fact-finding mission to assess the scope of the problem. SpaceX successfully tracks thousands of satellites and has revolutionized spaceflight—bringing in their expertise is common sense. Over the coming months, other high-tech leaders will be invited to assist in overhauling and securing the national air traffic system. Those with the capability to help will be welcomed.
The need for modernization has been ignored for too long. In 2012, the Obama administration passed the FAA Modernization and Reform Act, directing $11 billion to air traffic systems. Yet, as of December 2024, a Government Accountability Office report revealed that 51 of the FAA’s 138 systems are unsustainable, with some not scheduled for modernization for another decade. Other systems, including three that are more than 30 years old, lack any upgrade plan at all. The result is dangerous: in August 2023, an investigation uncovered 503 serious air traffic control lapses in a single year, a 65% increase from the year before.
The failures extend beyond software. A critical network outage of the FAA’s Notice to Airmen (NOTAM) system in 2023 led to a nationwide ground stop, causing massive travel disruptions. Meanwhile, the FAA continues to waste millions of taxpayer dollars every month maintaining legacy copper wire systems that should have been replaced years ago. These failures are unacceptable in a country that once led the world in aviation.
President Trump’s administration has already begun implementing a bold plan to rebuild America, and modernizing air traffic control is a cornerstone of that effort. Despite the obvious need for reform, partisan critics will attempt to manufacture controversy, opposing solutions purely for political reasons. They are the same voices who allowed these failures to escalate year after year. But while they cling to obstruction and bureaucratic inertia, Americans demand action. Upgrading air traffic systems will mean safer skies, fewer delays, and an end to unnecessary travel disruptions.
The dishonest media will continue its attempts to mislead the public. Following a government-wide restructuring that affected every federal agency, just 0.8% of the FAA’s 45,000 employees were laid off—none of whom were air traffic controllers. Yet CNN pushed a deceptive narrative, only admitting in paragraph eight of its report that “the firings did not include air traffic controllers.” Meanwhile, this administration is aggressively hiring new air traffic controllers based on competence and ability, rather than ideological quotas, ensuring that the most talented professionals are guiding America’s skies.
The tragic events of January 30 serve as a reminder that bureaucratic excuses and delays cost lives. That is why this administration is acting swiftly to implement real solutions. Americans elected President Trump because he delivers results, not excuses. The FAA’s outdated systems belong in the past—America’s aviation future will be built on safety, efficiency, and technological excellence. The new era begins now.
